Mary Ellis’ Secrets of the South Series is fantastic and I am happy to share another book from the series, Magnolia Moonlight, and travel the south with some familiar characters. Each book of the Secrets of the South series targets one of the couples. Their characters grow and develop as they learn to work together and get to know each other.

Beth and Michael work for Private Investigations and they have some issues with each other. Issues they will need to resolve in order to solve the mystery surrounding the suicide of the preacher.

Maybe the issues are more Beth’s than Michael’s. She holds a lot of resentment towards her mother. Is it because she only she’s her as her mom and not a person? Do you have that problem?

Beth had left Natchez under a cloud, but she had done nothing wrong. Would her investigation be stymied because of it?

When Mary mentions Castle, the TV show, the pieces fall into place. Beth and Michael could be Kate and Castle, especially with their verbal ‘foreplay’.

Mary Ellis has one of the characters asking themselves, ” Was guilt genetically hardwired into female DNA?” Food for thought, don’t you think?

Mary does a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life on the pages, making them believable and easy to relate to, though their work may be more glamorous than that of an assembly line worker or a waitress.

Beth and Michael both change and develop into deeper, more interesting characters.

WHOA, I’m on page 256, just reading along, thinking I know everything….then the story takes a wild twist. I think to myself, good one Mary, as I grin ear to ear. I love a surprise…in my books.

Murder, embezzlement, gambling, loan sharks…I am a bit of a gambler myself and love Texas Hold ’em, so Magnolia Moonlight has an extra element that sets it apart from other mysteries. And the mysteries do run rampant, as I twist and turn my way through the pages.

I love Mary Ellis’ stories because there is so much going on that, even though I don’t feel a sense of urgency and lurking danger, the writing keeps me going, wanting me to sate my curiosity of WHODUNIT.

I think I see the beginning of a new adventure for Price Investigations…

Coming soon…Sunset in Old Savannah.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Magnolia Moonlight by Mary Ellis. ( )

Title: Magnolia Moonlight (Secrets of the South Mysteries #3)
Author:Mary Ellis
Pages:349
Year:2016
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
My rating is4 stars.
Book three in the series takes place approximately two years after books two in the series, What Happened on Beale Street. Isabelle and Nate are now married, but have been saving for a house so they haven’t taken a honeymoon yet. Coworkers, friends and family pool their resources and send them on a honeymoon. Nate leaves Price Investigations in the hands of his employee, Beth Kirby and new trainee Michael Preston. While there, Isabelle thinks she sees her ex-husband walking out of a casino. He had a gambling addiction in the past, which led to the downfall of their marriage. He has remarried and joined Gamblers’ Anonymous, so why is he walking out of a casino? Has he succumbed to his addiction again? This leads Isabelle and Nate on a mystery as her ex is adamant that his new wife, whom he has left at home, Isabelle and Nate are in danger.
Beth Kirby is an ex-policewoman who left the force due to a romantic crush on her boss. Some of the other uniforms in the precinct thought she got her promotion to detective due to this relationship. She resigned and became a private investigator. She now works for Nate Price. She is given the task of training Michael, who is a whiz at computer stuff, but has no hands-on training at working an investigation. A local pastor is found dead and the investigating police office, Beth’s former partner at the precinct, views the death as a suicide. The victim’s wife refuses to believe that and comes to Beth, asking her to take on the investigation to prove the victim was murdered. Beth does find some incongruities, but isn’t wild about having Michael tag along during her interviews. The two soon develop a tentative rapport while they continue to follow some missing money that everyone thinks the victim stole and that he killed himself because he couldn’t live with what he had done. Beth and Michael hope to find evidence and recover the money before it disappears forever.
I really liked that this book had two mysteries going on at the same time. I also the interplay between Beth and Michael; I hope that a romance between those two is on the horizon. I also like reading about the cuisine and geography of the southern U.S. The message of faith is also evident in this story as well, which I greatly appreciate! There is a fourth book planned for this series titled, Sunset in Old Savannah. There is no release date yet, but I’ll be reading it once it is released. I have enjoyed this series so far and have enjoyed getting to know the characters better with each installment. ( )

Magnolia Moonlight
Mary Ellis

Summary: What Sinister Secrets Lurk in the Shadows of Yesterday? Natchez, Mississippi—Private Investigator Nate Price and his new wife, Isabelle, need a vacation. Their coworkers generously team up to surprise them with a belated honeymoon...but the happy trip turns sour when Izzy spies her ex-husband, who appears to have taken up his gambling addiction once again. While the boss is away, Price Investigations remains in the hands of Beth Kirby, a former police officer, and Michael Preston, a former forensic accountant. Hardly a dream team, as Beth resents working with a man who has no experience in his new job. But Beth and Michael must move past their differences if they hope to uncover the truth behind a beloved Southern preacher's demise. The preacher's widow suspects foul play, despite the evidence indicating suicide. With tension escalating between these investigators and local law enforcement—and new threats arising on all sides—how will Beth, Michael, and Nate hold on to faith and bring the truth to light?

Review: Enjoyed the book overall. I had trouble at the start because Beth was just plain stuck up. I was glad that she came down to earth half way through. Isabella was starting to go back to the less than gracious woman from the previous book. It was a little slower than the first and second book. I liked that there were 2 mysteries going on at once. It was an easy read, although it took me till almost half way to really get into the book. I did like Mike and Nate. Nate’s character was the most constant of all the characters.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Harvest House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ( )

I enjoy books set in places that I have been to as it makes me feel a part of the story and the Secrets of the South mystery series do just that. The third book in the series, Magnolia Moonlight takes place in Mississippi. Nate Price and his wife, Izzy are on their honeymoon, but their pleasure trip turns a bit sour when Izzy's ex husband appears and they have to sort out somethings that he is involved in. Meanwhile while they are gone, Beth Kirby and Michael Preston are holding down the agency at home, and find themselves investigating the death of a preacher.
I like "seeing" familiar sites within the book, but the author does a great job of description so that you feel you have been there even if you are unfamiliar with the sites. I liked seeing how Michael and Beth had to work with their different styles to get the job done. This is a great book for mystery lovers and those who like a bit of romance both.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher to read and review. ( )